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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946157">Under Her Tears</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelaxy/pseuds/angelaxy'>angelaxy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Under Their Skin [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feels, Hurt/Comfort, Phobias, Pining, hate/love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:40:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946157</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelaxy/pseuds/angelaxy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A blinding flash of lightning illuminated the room through the window, he found her <i>crying</i> quietly and drowning in her own fear with another loud crack of thunder outside.<br/>Arthur offered comfort to the girl who claimed to hate him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arthur/Reira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Under Their Skin [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836232</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Ange's Whumptober 2020, Whumptober 2020, ` Temptation in the Dark `</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Under Her Tears</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I missed writing these two and their angsty development so yeah this fic happened~<br/><s>the last two rows brought pain in my heart T_T</s><br/>xoxo</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arthur had a suspicion, one that wasn’t proven true yet. He remained adamant to seek the truth. For her sake.</p><p>For quite a while, he noticed that every time it was raining outside, Reira seemed uneasy, restless, for whatever reason and she would leave the room or disappear altogether. Meanwhile, Arthur was too perceptive, or perhaps he spent too much time keeping his attention solely on her. </p><p>A longing, a yearning.</p><p>Flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder accompanied the heavy rain this evening. Arthur began to embark on his journey to search for her throughout the mansion. As he had expected, she quietly disappeared from the dining room some moments earlier.</p><p>If his suspicion was right — she shouldn’t have been left alone.</p><p>The sound of a glass breaking inside the salon caught his attention as he happened to be walking in the hallway near the door. His hand reached the door’s handle and pushed it open. Nothing was out of place except a broken glass on the floor near the couch, no one was there either.</p><p>Another blinding flash of lightning illuminated the room through the window, his keen eyes caught the sight of shadow behind the couch, then he heard a muffled sob. </p><p><em>There you are.</em> His assumption was correct.</p><p>Case closed.</p><p>He strolled casually to the shadow who slumped against the back of the couch and trembled visibly. Reira’s face was hidden as her head hung low between her knees, but Arthur knew she was far from alright, judging from the way she covered her ears.</p><p>“Took me a while to find you, luv.” He said with the usual sly smile, crouching in front of her.</p><p>
Stubborn as always, Reira didn’t respond although she tried to stop her sobbing without having to raise her head. Arthur stretched a hand to her shoulder but was met with a resistance, stopped by her hand as she gripped his lower arm. However, she didn’t swat his hand away. “If you’re here only to make fun of me, go away, Arthur.”</p><p>He let out a wry chuckle, “I simply meant to comfort you.”</p><p>“Liar.” Reira muttered while still avoiding his eyes, flinching when another lightning illuminated the salon, her grip on Arthur’s arm tightened.</p><p><em>How can I leave you if you’re this scared?</em> With that thought, he settled to sit beside her. “Allow me, at least until it’s no longer raining.” Arthur’s words were tinged with deep concern.</p><p>This whole time she hated him, she hated his touch but in a desperate time like this, Reira didn’t have a choice, she let him encircle an arm around her trembling shoulders.</p><p>“I hate you.” It was an attempt to remind herself, a pathetic attempt.</p><p>Bitterness within his gaze, he sighed a silent chuckle. “Oh, I am quite aware, you have reminded me time after time.” Yet, he was still here — as his heart was drawn by the one who announced to hate him.</p><p><em>Then why are you here, Arthur?</em> Reira couldn’t think much, no, she actually refused to think more of him before it went too far. When the thunder cracked, her fingers clung to him helplessly, and so hopelessly. The deafening thunderous sound made her flinch again, but this time with his arm offering comfort.</p><p>Arthur didn’t move, he didn’t utter another word when she began to sob, as quiet as she could afford but her tears kept falling, pitiful whimpers left her lips inevitably. Her fingernails digging into his sleeve, perhaps would leave red marks as the nails kept digging with each lightning flash and rolls of thunder. Waves of anxiety crashed over her repeatedly.</p><p>Her tears were unstoppable and before she realized, she was leaning into him. “I’ll hate you more if you ever laugh at me.” The words were spoken through chattering teeth.</p><p>“Fear of lightning and thunder is not something to laugh about, but I can assure you those won’t be able to hurt you.” He muttered in a gentle voice.</p><p>“Y-you don’t understand.” </p><p>“Perhaps I don’t,” Arthur paused deliberately, tightening his hold around her and covering her ear with his free hand, while she still clinging on his other arm. “But I’m quite sure I can protect you from any lightning or thunder. You’re safe, Reira.” </p><p>Another lightning, and this <em>between</em> was the moment she feared — the waiting moment before she would hear the thunder. Whether it would be loud or no thunder at all, she could only expect the worst.</p><p>
  <em>Must be loud and terrifying.</em>
</p><p>Reira trembled in her reasonable fear, while Arthur held her close, then another sound suddenly echoed in the room.</p><p>The sound of the salon’s door opened. Reira raised her head instinctively, and in that moment Arthur saw her face, eyes beautifully decorated with frustrated tears, <em>sparkling</em> as she stared up to him. Lips trembling with a silent plea stuck on the tip of her tongue. <em>Keep me hidden.</em></p><p>A crystalline teardrop on her lower lashes falling on her cheek.</p><p>Arthur held his breath, his heartbeat pounding aloud in his ears. This feeling was not soft at all, it was like a thunder and lightning striking straight into his heart with a great force.</p><p>Recovering to his senses a moment later, he blinked and raised a finger over his curved lips, signaling her to stay quiet. For a girl who perfectly hid her fear of thunders and lightning, he knew that Reira won’t be happy to show a weakness to others, she would have kept up the act just fine if Arthur wasn’t persistent in his desire to know her. And he certainly became better to see past her brave facade.</p><p>At the very least, Arthur was relieved that she let him in even only a little, only a glimpse, in this situation.</p><p>The footsteps came and went several times, he deducted it would be Sebastian, cleaning off the broken glass that probably Reira dropped in her panic earlier. </p><p>They both safely remained hidden behind the couch.</p><p>More thunders rolled, he whispered sweet shushes in her ear and stroked her hair. His smile stretched further when she didn’t resist him. Arthur remained sitting beside her for a long time, listening to the thunder claps and her quiet sobs.</p><p>Hours had passed when the rain finally showed mercy. Before he ever moved away, albeit reluctantly, his softened gaze glanced at her to see her sleeping soundly against his shoulder. No longer trembling and seemed peaceful in her sleep. </p><p>The tracks of dried tears on her cheeks were lovely.</p><p>“I truly hope no one else realized how beautiful your tears are.” He planted a soft kiss on the top of her head, before adjusting his shoulder to be more comfortable for her to lean on. </p><p>But she won’t be able to hear those sickeningly sweet words. Her other hands still gripped his sleeve as she slept, Reira stirred slightly only to snuggle even closer against him.</p><p>Did she know how she was clutching his heart without her intending to?</p><p>Arthur smiled to himself, a sincere, loving smile that never appeared until she walked into his life and blinded his heart like a lightning flash.</p><p>
  <em>Hate me if you want, Reira. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I won’t ever mind if it means I have a place in your heart.</em>
</p>
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